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Cayetano Santos Godino
Cayetano Santos Godino (October 31, 1896 – November 15, 1944), also known as "Petiso Orejudo" ("Big Eared Midget"), was an Argentinian serial killer who terrified Buenos Aires at the age of 16. In the early 20th century, he was responsible for the murder of four children, the attempted murder of another seven children, and the arson of seven buildings. Godino was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, one of eight boys, to Calabrian immigrants. His father, Fiore, was an alcoholic and was abusive. He contracted syphilis before Godino was born, causing him serious childhood health problems. Starting in childhood, Godino killed cats and birds, and enjoyed playing with fire. His violent behavior and lack of interest in education caused him to jump from school to school. When he was seven years old, Godino beat two-year-old Miguel de Paoli and threw him into a ditch. A nearby official saw this and led the children to the police station, where their mothers picked them up a few hours later. A year later, Godino beat Ana Neri, a child in his neighborhood, with a stone. A police officer intervened, and Godino was released from jail due to his young age. When he was 10, Godino's parents discovered his compulsive masturbation. Not knowing what to do with him, his mother told the police, resulting in a two-month jail term. On January 17, 1912, Godino set fire to a warehouse on Corrientes Street. When he was arrested, he told police, "I like to see firefighters working. It's nice to see how they fall into the fire." On January 26, 1912, Arturo Laurona, 13, was found dead in an abandoned house. A few months later, on March 7, 1912, Godino set fire to the dress of Reyna Vainicoff, 5, who did not recover and died some days later. In late September 1912, he set fire to a railway station, which was extinguished without extensive damage. On November 8, 1912, he tried to choke 8-year-old Roberto Russo. He was arrested and charged with attempted murder but was released until the trial. On November 16, 1912, he hit Carmen Ghittoni, who suffered minor wounds before a police officer intervened. On November 20, 1912, he kidnapped two-year-old Carolina Neolener, who cried out and was rescued by a neighbour. Later in the same month, he set fire to two large sheds that were extinguished quickly. On December 3, 1912, Godino saw Jesualdo Giordano playing outside his house and offered to buy the boy some sweets to convince him to go with him. Providing a few sweets then offering more, Godino took Giordano to a country house. When they were inside, he threw him to floor and unsuccessfully tried to choke him with his belt. Then he cut his belt and tied his hands and legs. He started beating him and considered hammering his head. He left the house looking for a nail and saw Giordano's father, to whom he said he did not know where the child was. He then re-entered the house with the nail. He hammered it into the side of Giordano's skull and hid the corpse. The body was found by the father minutes later. At 8:00 PM, Godino went to the wake and touched the skull where he had fixed the nail. At 5:30 a.m. on December 4, 1912, he was arrested by polic e, confessing his crimes. On January 4, 1913, he entered a reformatory, where he tried to kill some of the inmates. Due to medical reports, which declared him insane, the judge discontinued the case and ordered him to stay in the reformatory. On November 12, 1915, an appeal was approved ordering him to be moved to jail on November 20. On March 28, 1923, Godino was transferred to Ushuaia Penitentiary. Throughout 1933 he spent some time in the hospital for a beating he suffered from inmates after he killed two of their pet cats. From 1935 onwards, he was always ill and received no visitors until he died on November 15, 1944 under strange circumstances.